Fish trader Svein Lyder wants county politicians in Finnmark to seek advice from the entire fisheries industry, not just the largest players. Case manager Raymond Robertsen believes that this makes the work less efficient.

The County Council has decided that 12.4 million kroner ($ 1 122 386) will be spent to prevent emigration from Finnmark as a result of the fisheries crisis. At the same time, a resource group was set up to assist Finnmark County Council in its work.

Invited the big ones, not the small ones

From the fishing industry, the county committee has invited Nord Fiskarlag and Sjømat Norge to sit on the resource group.

Lyder believes that the county politicians have sent the wrong signal with this. In his view, these organizations only represent the largest players in the fishing industry.

It is the large, heavy players who are running a deficit today. The medium-sized and small players, often locally owned, are the ones who are getting by. The surplus may not be large, but they are in the plus.

More people must join

Neither the Norwegian Coastal Fishermen's Association nor the Sea Sami organization Bivdu have been invited. Lyder believes that they should be on the resource group, because they represent a great many fishermen in Finnmark. In addition, he wants the Seafood Companies to be included, because the organization represents small and medium-sized businesses in the fishing industry.

It is logical to include these, because they have shown that they are making a profit, he says.

It sounds like the Nord Fiskarlag and Sjømat Norge are speaking on behalf of those who have not made it in the fishing industry.

So, we are going to repeat history in the current situation, where to deal with the big and heavy ones that have been in deficit. If we were unable to make a profit while we had the peak years behind us in the fishing industry, I ask the question of how we are going to continue to believe in this adventure in a time when there will be many years with little access to raw materials. How are they going to run with a surplus?

Incomprehensible sounds receive support from the Coastal Fishermen's Association and Bivdu, a non-profit and politically independent Sámi national business organization, whose goal is to safeguard the interests of everyone living in Maritime Sami areas, regarding their right to harvest and use marine resources (including salmon) in their local areas.

We have a completely different focus on coastal communities than the Nord Fiskarlag or the Fiskarlag central has, says Arne Pedersen, leader of the East-Finnmark Coastal Fishermen's Association.

For us, it is very important to have viable and vibrant coastal communities. Especially in East-Finnmark, coastal communities are very dependent on fisheries.

Pedersen adds that small vessels deliver the fish to these locations.

Then it is completely incomprehensible that they [the county politicians] can get away with this. They know that we exist, and I don't understand why they underestimate the competence of coastal and fjord fishermen, for example in East-Finnmark.

Could contribute with new ideas

Bivdu leader Inge Arne Eriksen says both they and the Coastal Fishermen's Association could contribute with new ideas for the fishing industry in Finnmark. Preferably together with others.

We need other ideas than continuing with the same old methods that result in quotas being concentrated in a few hands. This leads to emigration, and there is no solution.

What do you think is important for the fishing industry in Finnmark now?

We must start from what is the actual situation. We have a group of fishermen who have not specialized in large boats. We have an industry that is also spread out. These are the things that must be addressed. So, we must start from the situation we have today, not wish for anything other than what exists.

Eriksen recalls that Finnmark wanted a trawl fleet that would supply the industry with everything possible.

We wanted an industry that would deliver countless products. What are we left with? Nothing. We are completely exhausted. Therefore, we must focus on what we have, while there are still people in these areas. It is those who are here, these people – the fishermen and the industry – that we must continue to build on, Eriksen asserts.

Must work effectively

Raymond Robertsen from Conservative Party of Norway (Høgre) was chairman when the county committee adopted measures to try to counteract the fisheries crisis. He says it is important that the resource group can work effectively.

Regardless of who sits on the resource group, we hope and believe that organizations, businesses, companies and local communities will contribute with advice on how we should proceed in the crisis that is brewing, he says.

Source: NRK

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